Automatic mantle renewal means for gas-illuminated signal apparatus



May 21, 1929. J. H. F. ISPIEGELBERG ,936

AUTOMATIC MANTLE RENEWAL MEANS FOR GAS ILLUMINATED SIGNAL APPARATUS Original Filed June 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l i4 m m I if/"c INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 21, 1929 J. H. F. SPIEGELBERG AUTOMATIC MANTLE RENEWAL MEANS FOR GAS ILLUMINATED SIGNAL APPARATUS Original Filed June 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y/l/l/l IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

May 21, 1929- J. H. F. S PlEGELB ERG I AUTOMATIC MANTLE RENEWAL MEANS FOR GAS ILLUMINATED SIGNAL APPARATUS 7 Original Filed June 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvroa W If 3. BY

' ATTO y 1929- J. H. F. SPIEGELBERG ,713 9 AUTOMATIC MANTLE RENEWAL MEANS FCR GAS ILLUMINATED SIGNAL; APPARATUS Original Filed June 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

I N VEN TOR. A

Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOHAN niLMnn FBITIOF SPIEGELBERG,- or SKARSATRA, nrnineonynnnn swoon-- HOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN GASACGU'MULATOR ELIZABETH, NEW JnnsnY, A CGRPOR-ATION 'OF'NEW JERSEY.

1,213,986 PATENT OFFICE. 1

COMPANY, OF

AUTOMATIC MANTLE RENEWAL MEANS, FOR GAS-ILLUMINATED SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Original application filed June 29, 1925, Serial No. this application filed January In light signaling apparatus a gas incandescent lighting means is quite frequently employed as the source of illumination. It is a practice quite general to provide supporting means for a plurality of devices, such as mantles, which are adapted to be come incandescent pen the impinging thereon of a flame such as that produced when acetylene gas burns as it issues from a burner. In practice, a plurality of mantles, or the like, are supported in successive relation to each other by means so controlled and adapted to be actuated that when a mantle which is in usethat. is, in such position that the flame of a gas burner impinges thereonin the usual known manner -beconies broken or-in any way destroyed,

' the next mantle in order is transferred or moved into operative relation with respect to the burner and the ligh ing or illumination, in accordance with the principle of the apparatus, whatever it may be, continued.

Ap i-aratus of this kind is useful for many purposes. Such an apparatus is useful, for instance, for supplying the illuminating means which is used in connection with a lens or reflector system such, for instance, as may be employed for marine or other light signaling.

It is now quite customary to employ apparatus including means for supporting a relatively large number of mantles, as many as twenty-four being in some instances provided, and it therefore is necessary to provvide means whereby the mantles and the supports therefor not in usemay be located outside of the paths of'the rays of light which impinge upon the lens system of the apparatus. p

In some cases the mantles and mantlesupporting means, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of my application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed June 29th, 1925, Serial No. 40,187, of which this application is a division, are so locatedcr positioned that they are surrounded by portions of the lcns system, but their location or position is such that for the most part they are out of the line of those rays of light issuing from the light source which would impinge upon the lens system. 7

I have, however, conceived that the mantle inner, and in Sweden July 1, 1924. Divided and 26, 1928. Serial No. 249,595.

supports therefor which are not in use may be located entirely outside of the lens system, and means provided whereby when a mantle or other light source which is in use is destroyed, or becomes ineffective, a new mantle, or the like, may be substituted therefor. U

The general object, therefore, of the invention as described and illustrated herein, is to provide an apparatus of novel character includingmeans whereby the extra mantles, or the like, and their supports (that is, the mantles which are not in use and which constitute the reserve supply) may be supported at arelatively great distance from the burner with which the mantle is in use must be associated, and entirely;-

outside of the lens or reflector system, in case such a system be employed in the apparatus in association with the burner.

It also is an object of the invention to providean apparatus of .the character indicated, which is both simple in construction and positive and eflicient in operation.

I I shall not at this point in the specification undertake to point out all of the various objects and advantages characteristic of my invention, but otherand further objects and advantages thereof will be referred to in the tion may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the invention or theprinciple thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of a construction of apparatus embodying the invention, which apparatus is adapted to operate auto matically to exchange or substitute anew mantle for a destroyedmantle;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation'show ing the carriage structure of Fig. 1, which is mounted upon the endless conveyor shown in said figure;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 2, and showing a portion of the mantle-holding m ans mounted upon the carriage structure;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the carriage structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and also showing a portion of the mantle-holding or carrying means, partly in plan and partly in cross section; V

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the burner and mantle, and the upper portion of the mautleexchange mechanism imn'iediately associated with the burner, looking from the right toward the left in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of the mantleholding means, a part of said means being in elevated position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6, with the said part of the inantleholding meanrir in lowered position; and

Fig. 8 a view in side elevation of a iodilied construction of the means shown in Figs. 1 and 5 for transporting the reserve mantles to the burner and exchanging the same tor the destroyed mantles.

In the construction as illustrated in Fig. 1 I have shown a lens system associated with the burner and mantle mechanism, and it will be understood that, although not shown, such a system is assumed to be present in like relation to the burner and active mantle embodying the invention which is shown in Fig. 8.

In the drawings the lens system is indicated a whole at l, which system includes upper prisms 6 and 7, lower prisms 8 and 9, and intermediate lenses 10. The lens system may consist of any desired known construction, as my invention is not limited to a lens of any particular cemstruction'. hen the active mantle 4.3, which is associated with the burner 2, is in incandescent condition the rays of light which radiate therefrom strike the lens system and are retracted thereby. The rays as refracted, are in the usual form of a bundle of substan tially parallel rays. In the apparatus as illustrated in Fig. 1, the details thereof being shown in subsequent Figs. 2 to 7 of the drawings, the spare or resorve mantles and the means or mechanism by which they are successively brought into play, are located beneath the lens system 1, and are therefore entirely out of the way of the rays of light which radiate from the active mantle 43 associated with the burner 2.

The holder for the active mantle 43 associated with the burner 2 and the supporting means for the said holder, are disposed underneath the burner and are wholly or 1 minly within the angle A which forms the limit of the rays and 36, which proceed downward from the burner to be retracted by the lowest of the group of prisms 3a in the lens system. It is clear from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the drawings that practically none of the rays of light from the active mantle 43 which would impinge upon the lens system are prevented from doing so by reason of the presence of the mantle-holder and the means for supporting the latter. It also is apparent from an inspection 01:" Fig. 1 of the drawings that the reserve or spare mantles and the means for supporting the same are located entirely outside of and below the lens system and do not in any way interfere with the rays of light from the light source, either before or after they have impinged upon the lens system. It is apparent, therefore, that by the means as illus trated in the drawings the object of the invention, namely, the prevention of interference by the mantle-supporting mechanism with the light rays, is attained.

in the construction of apparatus for succcssively substituting mantles from the spare or reserve supply for active mantles which have become useless by reason of having been broken or disintegrated, a mantlechanging means or mechanism is employed, which is inclosed in a casing 37 located underneath the lens apparatus. The said casing is closed, with the exception of an opening 38, which constitutes a passage for an upright standard or post 39 of channel shape in cross section, upon which is mounted an endless conveyor 40 shown as a chain.

Upon the endless chain conveyor ll carriage ll is mounted, by means of which the mantle-holders, indicated as a whole at 42, and the reserve mantles 43 mounted thereon, are transported in due order from their supports up to the burner 2 whenever the mantle previously associated with the said burner is broken. The carriage 41 and holder 42 may be referred to as the mantle carrying means.

The driving device for the endless chain conveyor e0 consists of a weight 47, or other suitable means, which acts on a shaft 4-8 to rotate the same. 'llransmission gearing 48 connects the said shaft with the lower sprocket wheel 49 which is one of two sprocket wheels upon which the endless chain 40 is supported, the other sprocket wheel being shown near the upper end of the supporting post or standard 39. Upon rotation of the. shaft 48 the transmission gearing 48 is actuated and causes rotation of the sprocket wheel 49 to cause traveling movement of the endless chain 40. The two sprocket wheels 49 and 50 are both support ed upon the post or standard 39.

The mantle-supporting and transporting carriage 41 is coupled and secured to the endless chain 40 by means of a link 52, the

- with a rim-like portion 57.

lower end of which is pivoted to a link of the said chain and the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the carriage. In order that the carriage shall move in a rectilinear path it is provided with wheels 82 which contact with and travel upon the guides 83 upon the outer edges of the flanges of the channel-shaped post or standard 39.

The carriage 41 is provided with three projections 53, which are adapted to engage holes correspondingly located in the mantle-holder, whereby the latter is adapted to be transported or carried to and from a burner. The mantle-holder is adapted to be locked to the said carriage in order to prevent the holder from being released until such time as release thereof is desired in the operation of the apparatus.

The locking means is illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive. The said means comprises a bar 41", which is supported upon the depending, swinging links 41, which are suspended in parallel relation to each other. The bar 41 is held in the position shown in the drawing by means of a spring 41, in which position a locking bolt or pin 41 on one of the links projects forwardly over a foot-piece or platform 67 of the mantleholder, which will be hereinafter referred to in detail.

The mantle-holders are supported in adjoining but spaced relation to each other in a circle upon a rotatable table or support 57. This table is provided upon its outer edge Said rim-like portion is provided upon its upper edge with an inwardly extending circular flange 57 and upon its lower edge with. an outwardly extending flange 57. Each of these flanges is provided with projections'58 circularly arranged and so placed or related that two projections on the lower flange 57 and one projection on the upper flange 57 are adapted to engage parts connected to and by which the holders 42 are supported, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The positions of the projections 58 correspond with the positions ofthe projections 53 of the carriage 41, to which reference already has been made.

Each of the mantle-holders 42 comprises a portion. 42, which is of bow-shape formation. Such bow-shaped portion is provided at its top with a ring 60, which is adapted to carry a mantle 43. Each of the said bowshaped portions is connected to astandard 64 by means of links 63, one end of each of which links is connected to the said standard and the opposite end thereof to a bar 64 which depends or projects from the lower end of the member 42. Eachofthe said bow-shaped portions is adapted to be held or retained in elevated or raised position with respect to the said standard or post 64 by means of a pin 65, of wood or othermamantle 43 which may be associated with the burner 2. The post or standard 64 is provided near its upper end with a transversely extending plate or table 66, provided with holes 66 and 66"with which the upper pin or projection 53- upon the carriage 41' and the pins or projections 58 upon the flange 57", respectively,are-adapted. to engage. The said post or standard 64 is also provided near its lower end with a transversely extending plate or platform 67, provided with holes 67 and 67, with which the lower pins 53 upon the carriage 41 and the pins 58 upon the lower flange 57, respectively, are adapted to engage.

It is by means of the engagement of these pins 58 and 58 with the openings, as described, that the holders 42 are supported upon the carriage 41 and upon the turn-table 57, respectively. I

When a holder. 42 is provided with, or carries, a new mantle and is. ready to be 'put into use, and during the period or time which it 18 in use, the bow-shaped portion.

thcreof'is held inelevated position with respect to the post orstandard 64 by a pin 65, as already described.

The position of the. sprocket wheel 50, supported near the upper end of the supporting standard 39, is such that the distance be tween the endless conveyor chain as it passes over the said wheel, and the burner 2, is less vided with a new or reserve mantle, is

mounted upon the carriage 41, the ring strikes the burner 2 and prevents the passage of the link to which the carriage is connected over the sprocket wheel until the bow-shaped portion of the mantle-holder shall have been released by the destruction of the pin 65. This occurs upon the'breaking or disintegration of a mantle43. Upon the destruction 'or severing of a pin 65 the bow-shaped member 42 of the mantleholder descends so as to permit the ring 60 and the upper end of the portion 42 to pass underneath the burner, and thereby permit the weight 47 to effect movement of the endless chain 40to return the holder carry ing the destroyed mantle to the turn-table 57, upon which the holders carrying reserve inantles are supported.

In order to release the foot-piece 67 from the locking bolt 41 to permit the mantle.- I

holder to be deposited upon the turn-table 57, I have provided a member 41 having an inclined or cam surface, as shown in Fig. 2, which projects upwardly from the bottom of the casing 37. When the carriage 41 in its movement downwardly is near its lowest position the roller upon the outer end ofthe bar all engages the inclinedor cam surface upon the member ll which causes movement of the said bar in a direction away from the said member, to cause the locking belt or pin 41 to release the plat form or foot-piece 67. The said platform or foot-piece having been released, the manburner until the new mantle is broken or disintegrated, whereupon the pin is destroyed or severed and the operation re peated.

For the purpose of effecting operation or rotation of the turntable or rotatable sup porting member 57, the lower sprocket wheel 49 is located at a point below the said turn-table, so thatafter. the holder which carries the broken mantle is deposited on the projections 58 upon the flanges 57 and 57 the carriage continues its ClOWIlWZtlf. movement with and upon the chain and contacts with mechanism and actuates the same to effect rotation of the said turn-table or support to carry a new holder into position to be engaged by the pins 53 upon the carriage 41.

In its continued downward movement the carriage just referred to contacts with the outer free end of an arm 68, pivoted at 69, and causes pivotal movement thereof about said pivot. The said arm 68 is provided with a rigid upwardly extending projection or member 69 which in turn is provided upon its upper end with a spring-pressed pawl 72, which is adapted to enga e a ratchet wheel 74 having connection with the turntable 57, which latter is rotatably mounted upon a vertical shaft 7. The lever 68 is held in position against a stationary pin 71, with its outer free end 81 lifted, or elevated, by means of a coil spring 70, having connection at its upper end with. the upper portion of the projecting member (SW, and at its lower end with stationary projection mounted upon the bottom of the casing 37,.as shown in Fig. l. The lever 68 is pivoted on a pivot pin 69 at a point intermediate its ends, and the rear or inner end portion thereof extends upwardly and terminates in an end portion 73, which is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 7 5, having rigid connection with the ratchet wheel 74:- The engagement of the end 73 of the lever 68 with the ratchet wheel limits or stops therotation of the ratchet wheel 74 so as to prevent the tu.rntable 57 from moving beyond the distance necessary to transfer or transport a new holder 42 into position to be engaged by the projections upon the carriage H as the latter is carried upwardly upon the chain 40. r

It will be undertsood that the teeth of the ratchet wheel 75are inclined in a direction opposite to that of the teeth on the w reel 7 and also that the end 73 of the lever 68 engages the ratchet wheel 75 when the outer end portion of the said lever has been pressed down by the carriage 1-1 to its fullest extent.

A locking arm 76 is pivoted upon a pin 77, carried upon a projection 77 extending upwardly from the bottom of the casing 37. By means of a spring 78 the said arm is held in position so that a roller 7 9 upon the outer end thereof is adapted to engage the notch or gap between any two teeth '80 arranged in a circle at the lower edge of the rim-like portion 57 of the turntable o'r rotatable support 57. These teeth may be of the shape of the teeth of a circular saw, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

When the carriage 41 has deposited a holder 42 with the destroyed mantle thereon on the turn table or rotatable support 57 it strikes the free end 81 of the ratchet lever 68 and presses its downwardly, as al ready stated, so that the spring-pressed pawl 72, which is in engagement with the ratchet wheel 74, rotates the latter one tooth forwarc The ratchet wheel 7 5 and the turn-table 57 are rotated therewith in a clockwise direetion, looking from above. By the movelli611h0f the turn-table with its teeth 80, formed like the teeth of a circular saw, as stated, the roller 79 is pressed downward, so that the spring 78 is stretched placed under tension. The distance t irough which the ratchet 74 is rotated by the pawl 72 at each action of the latter is suliicient to cause the inclined portion of atooth 8 to travel over the roller 79, and depress the same Immediately the peak or point of a teeth 80 has passed over the roller 79, the latter, under the influence of the spring 78 is snapped, or moved quickly, into the next following notch or gap. By this means the turn-table stopped or located in such position that a new holder is positioned directly above the carriage ll, which has been carried down ward by the out less chain 40, as previously described. As the carriage ascends with and upon the endless chain 40 the pro jections 53 thereof, to which reference has been previously made, engage the holes 66 and 67 provided in the plates 66 and 67 of the mantle-holder.

lllt) V The mantle holders 42 of this construction, with their mantles 43, are connected by means of pin and slot connections with elongated members 64, which are connected at intervals, as illustrated, with thechain 40. The mantle-holder 42 is provided with a ring 60 at its outer end, to which is connected the mantle 43. The, said ringis adapted to cooperate with a burner 2.

By means of pins 65, of wood or other suitable material adapted to be destroyed or severed by the action of a narrow flame thereon, the holders 42 are adapted to be held in elevated or extended position with respect to the elongated supports 64, previously referred to.

Springs tend to cause movement of the holders 42 from their elevated or extended position (in which they are held by the pins 65) into collapsed position, as indicated by the dotted lines at 85 This occurs when a pin 65 has been destroyed or severed by the action of a flame thereon. After the destruction of a pin the chain 40* can then continue its movement in thedirection of the arrowsat 85 so that the released and collapsible holders are carried into position as indicated at 42. As a released and collapsed holder is carried forward to the position 42 the next holder 42 is carried into position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8, so that the mantle is brought into operative relation to the burner 2. hen the holder 42 is held in elevated or extended position, as shown in full lines at the upper side of Fig. 8 of the drawings, the height of the ring 60, to which the mantle 43 is secured, is such that it cannot pass underneath and beyond the burner 2 until. it happens that the pin 65- is severed, as wi'llibe the case upon the breaking or disintegrating of the mantle, so that a narrow flame is produced and permitted to impinge upon the said pin. 2

It will be seen that by my invention have provided means whereby reserve mantles and mantleholders may be supported in such positions that they do not interfere'with the passage of the light rays from the lightsource to the lens system, and that I havealso provided means whereby the reserve mantle-holders maybe transported successively into position to place or locate the reserve mantles in operative relation to the burner ofthe signaling mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is:v

1. In mantlerenewal means of the character described, the combination ofa flexi ried thereby whereby movement of the said conveyer may be continued to convey the said holder and broken mantle beyond the said burner and whereby also a new mantlemay be moved into position in cooperative relation tothesaid burner.

2. In mantle renewal means for light signalingapparatus, the combination of an endless flexible conveyer which is adapted to travelin cooperative relation to aburner,v

mantle carrying means mounted upon said conveyer, said mantle carrying means com prising relatively movable parts which parts are adapted to occupy extended and collapsed relation with respect to each other, the length ofthe said mantlecarrying means when extended being greater than the distance between the said burner and the point of connection of one of the movable parts of the mantle carrying means to said conveyer," and means for holding the said parts in extended relation to each other, the said means being adapted to bedestroyed by the action of-the burner flame thereon upon the breaking of a mantle mounted upon the said mantle carrying means whereby collapsing of the said parts takes place to permit continued movement of the said conveyer to convey the said broken mantle beyond the said burner and to replace the said broken mantle by a new mantle.

3. In mantle renewal means of the charac-ter described for use in supplying mantles to the burners of light signaling apparatus,

hold the mantle in cooperative relation to said burner, and means for holding thesaid parts in extended relation to each other, which means is adapted tobe destroyed by the action of a flame thereon whereby upon the breaking of the mantle the flame of the burner impinges upon the said means and destroys the same to permit collapsing of the parts of said mantle carrying means to thereby permit movement of the conveyer to convey the said mantle carrying means and broken mantle beyond the burner and to thereby convey a new mantle into cooperative relation with respect to the said burner.

4. In mantle renewal means of the character described and adapted to be used for the supplying ot-mantles to a burner surrounded by a lens system, the combination of an endless conveyer, a mantle carrying means mounted on said conveyer, said means comprising a plurality of parts upon the outer end of one of which parts a mantle is mmmtedsaid last mentioned part being movable with relation to the other of said parts, and means adapted to engage the said movable part and to hold it in extended relation to the other of said parts, the outer end of the said movable part when the latter is held in extended relation to the other part being adapted to contact with the burner which constitutes a stop to prevent traveling movement of the said conveyer, and the said means being adapted to be destroyed by the action of a flame thereon whereby when a mantle is broken the flame ot' the burner impinging thereon destroys the same to permit collapsing movement of the movable part to the other of said parts and to thereby permit movement of the said conveyer to convey the said mantle carrying means and the broken mantle beyond said burner and to convey a new mantle to the said burner.

5. In mantle renewal means for supplying mantles successively to the burner of a light signaling apparatus, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of manties a distance from the said burner, and a conveyer for conveying the said mantles as required from said supporting means to the said burner.

6. In mantle renewal means for supplying mantles as required to a burner, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of mantles, a conveyer for removmg said mantiles successively as required from said support and conveying them to said burner, and means for supporting said conveyer in co-operative relation to the burner.

7. In mantle renewal means for supplying to a gas burner new mantles in lieu of mantles which have become broken, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of mantles, a conveyer interposed between said supporting means and a burner and supported and adapted to travel in cooperative relation to said burner, and means whereby mantles are adapted to be removed from said supporting means and conveyed therefrom to the said burner.

8. In mantle renewal-means for supplying new mantles to a burner in lieu of mantles which have become broken, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of mantles a distance from said burner, the said means being movable to transfer the mantles supported thereon successively into a predetermined position, a conveyer interposed between said mantle supporting means and the said burner, means for 'elfecting traveling D'lOVGIIlellt of the said conveyer, and means carried by the said conveyer for removing a mantle from the said supporting means and transferring the same to the said burner.

9. In mantle renewal means for supplying new mantles to a burner of a light signaling apparatus located interiorly of an optical system, the combination of means located outside of the said system for removably supporting a plurality of mantles, a conveyer interposed between the said mantle supporting means and the said burner, means for supporting said conveyer in C0- operative relation to the said mantle sup porting means and the said burner, means for causing traveling movement of said conveyer, means carried by said conveyer for removing mantles from the said supporting means, and means whereby the movement of said conveyer is adapted to cause movement of the mantle supporting means to convey the said mantles successively into cooperative relation to the said conveyer whereby they may be conveyed from the said supporting means to the said burner.

10. In mantle renewal means for supplying new mantles to a burner, which means operates upon the destruction of a mantle which may be associated with the burner, the combination of movable means, mantle carryingdevices removably mounted upon said means, a conveyer, means for supporting said conveyer intermediate the said first named means and the said burner and in cooperative relation thereto, a device carried by said conveyer for successively engaging the said mantle carrying devices to remove the same from the supporting means therefor, means for holding the mantle carrying element of the mantle carrying device in extended relation in which position it is adapted to engage the burner to interrupt the movement of the conveyer, which means is adapted to be destroyed by the action of a flame thereon whereby upon the breaking of a mantle associated with a burner the resulting flame destroyssaid means and releases the mantle holding element whereby movement of the said conveyer may be re sumed, and means adaptedto be actuated by the device carried by said conveyer for causing movement of the means for supporting the said mantle carrying devices to transfer the said mantle carrying devices and the mantlescarried thereby into predetermined relation to the said conveyer, substantially as described. i

11. In mantle renewal means for supplying new mantles as required to the burner of a light signaling apparatus, the combination of a rotatable support, a plurality of mantle carrying devices mounted on said support, a conveyer interposed between the said rotatable support and the said burner and being operatively related thereto, a carriage mounted upon said conveyer, means whereby said carriage is adapted to engage successively the mantles carried upon the said rotatable support to remove the same therefrom and convey the same to the said burner, and means adapted to be engaged by the said carriage for actuating the said rotatable support for causing movement thereof to carry the said mantle supporting devices-successively into position to be engaged by the said carriage, substan tially as described, 7

12. In mantle renewal means for supplying new mantles successively to the burner of a light signaling apparatus, the combination of a rotatable member located a distance from the said burner, a plurality of mantle carrying devices removably mounted upon said rotatable member, each of the said devices having mount-ed thereon a mantle, a

. conveyer interposed between said rotatable member and said burner and located in opera-tive relation thereto, a carriage mounted upon said conveyor and having means adapted to engage successively the mantle carrying devices upon said rotatable member to convey the same to the said burner, means for locking the said mantle carrying devices to the said carriage, means whereby a part of the respective mantle carrying devices mounted upon the said carriage is caused to contact with the said burner to in terrupt traveling movement of the said conveyer, which means is adapted to be destroyed upon the destruction of a mantle associated with said burner whereupon the traveling movement of the said conveyer may be resumed, means for releasing the said locking means to permit the re-depositing of a mantle carrying device upon said rotatable member, and means adapted to be actuated by the contact of the said carriage therewith to effect limited rotation of said rotatable member to transfer a mantle carrying device supporting a new mantle into position to be engaged by the said carriage and conveyed thereby into operative relation to the said burner.

13. In mantle renewal means for supply-' 14. In mantle renewal means for supplying new mantles successivelyto the burner of a light signaling apparatus, the combination of a burner, a rotatable member mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane, a plurality of mantle carrying devices removably mounted on said member, a flexible conveyer interposed between said member and the said burner and located in a plane extending transversely of the plane of rotation of the said rotatable member, and means whereby a mantle carrying device is adapted to be removed from the said rotatable member and conveyed thereby to the said burner and after the breakage of the mantle on said supporting device to return the said mantle carrying device and redeposit it upon the said rotatable member.

15. A light signaling means comprising a burner, lens apparatus surrounding said burner and constituting an optical system, a plurality ofmantles for said burner one of which is active and the others of which are held in reserve, supporting means for said reserve mantles, said supporting means and the reserve mantles being located outside the optical system, and means for conveying a broken mantle from the burner and for conveying a mantle from the reserve mantles to the said burner.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 29th day of December, 1927.

JOHAN HILMER FRITIOF SPIEGELBERG. 

